Tony always knows
by Leigh59
Summary: Just Tony being a smart and not hiding well not so much.
1. Head slap

_Just because I think Tony always knows. _

It had been a long miserable two weeks of back to back cases. Two weeks of Gibbs barking, yelling, demanding results. It didn't help much that he was exhausted working the undercover op for the director and the SecNav.

He would never say no, because he firmly believed that once you took the oath to protect and to serve you did what you had to do.

But he was tired, so very tired he would love nothing more than to go home, a good meal a shot of good Whiskey then to sleep. But he had a better chance of selling ice in Hell than that happening.

Getting off of the his cell phone he sighs with satisfaction. The local LEO's have found and picked up their suspect and are bring him in.

Maybe just maybe he will be able to have the night for himself. Hearing Ziva snicker he raises his head and looks at her questioningly. That was all he needed another snide remark from her she wasn't even an agent.

"Is there something wrong Ziva?"

"I take it your plans to show your manly ability to the college girl you are trying to bed fell through, once again." She says with a laugh.

"Yeah Tony when are you going to give it up and date in your age bracket or maybe women born in your era."

"Very funny McComment, that was the LEO's reporting that our suspect is on his way in he should be here in twenty minutes."

Exactly two hours, that is how long it took to wrap up the case. His report was written and printed out all he had to do was sign it. His knee was killing him as was his shoulder from tackling a man two days before.

He stood up and took three steps before he stopped and pivoted and blocked the head-slap that Gibbs was in the process of giving him. "Don't. The report is done in fact all my reports are done for the week. I'm going home as we are not on call this weekend. I'll see you on Monday." He tells Gibbs keeping his voice neutral.

Ziva and Tim watch the scene played out before them not really believing what they are seeing. Gibbs says nothing at all he goes to his desk and picks up his glasses then starts to read the first of many reports that Tony had put there.

Tony returns to his desk grabs his gear and his weapon, he looks up and sees that Tim and Ziva have not moved at all. "Is something wrong with the two of you?"

"It is just that you have never noticed Gibbs before, I am just surprised that is all."

"You have anything to add McStatue?"

"That about sums it up." Tim replies with a shrug.

"Then neither one of you are as observant as I thought. I always know when Gibbs is near me. I can smell him first, coffee and sawdust. Then I can hear him he walks softly but his knee has a click in it. Lastly I can see him, they call it peripheral vision for a reason and why I was good at playing ball in college. I always know where he is, so I can always protect his six, like he protects mine."

He puts the backpack on his uninjured shoulder enjoying the expressions of shock mixed with anger as it settles on Tim and Ziva's face. "Any other questions or comments?" Not getting a reply he starts leave the bullpen only to stop when he hears Gibbs bellow.

"DiNozzo, my house one hour, bring beer and your sweats, Ducky will be joining us for cowboy steak. Then he will check your knee and shoulder."

"I guess I'd better buy a salad too." Knowing that it is useless to argue with the man.

"Damn right." Gibbs says watching Tony leave.

"On your six, Boss." Is what Gibbs hears just as the elevator doors close.

"What are you too waiting for, get to work."

"Yes boss." Tim replies, with hesitation.

"Yes Gibbs." Ziva says still not really believing or understanding what just happened.

Tim glances over to Ziva and raises his hands in surrender.

"For your information, Tony was telling the truth, he always knows where I am." Gibbs.


	2. Trajectory

_Wow lots of reviews for a simple one shot. I want to thank each and everyone of you that sent me a review. I also would like to thank all of the people that added this to their favorites. Well, I had no intention of writing more but, the muse paid a visit. I hope you all like this one as well._

No new case meant, working on cold cases. Sometimes cold cases were solved when fresh eyes looked at them, not always but it did happen. They found that when things were slow it helped to work as a team on the cold cases as well.

It was Gibbs that broke the quiet of the bullpen entering the bullpen like he always does, with the same stealthy steps he learned all those years ago when he learned to be a sniper.

"McGee, report." Gibbs bellowed as he places his cup of coffee on his desk.

"Not much here boss, the victim was shot in the leg he bled out. There hardly any evidence to be had. This case is twelve years old, the autopsy reports are all here so are the labs. All the witness have either moved away or they are at their new posting."

"Ziver." Gibbs grunts out.

"Abby is going over the evidence. She was not the original tech, as you know. She said that she will let us know. She has not found anything hinky, yet."

"Well DiNozzo, you care to add anything, or are you still going to chat on your cell?"

"Sorry boss, was talking to Dr. Pitt. As for the case there is a mistake, a big one."

"What mistake, I did not see one." Ziva challenges.

"What did I miss Tony? Tim asks his inflection expressing remorse.

"No worries Tim, it took me a second read through to catch it. Bring up the crime scene photo on the plasma will you."

Gibbs walks up to the plasma and waits for Tony to explain. Not a patient man, Gibbs likes to deal with fact and evidence, clear a case and move on to the next. For him his life is his work. Catching the criminal letting the dead rest in peace and giving the families a sense of closer if at all possible.

"The trajectory is wrong, look I'll show you." He says with out any gloating or preamble at all, as Ziva and Tim join them.

Tim stares at him blankly, his eyes full of questions as he sits and works out the math on his own. "How did you figure it out so fast, you hate math, in fact you avoid it."

"I'm the first to admit that I'm not fond of math, this is different, using math to figure out bullet trajectories is purely cop math. That kind of math I'm actually good at doing."

The three agents wait for him to continue, Ziva huffs, Tim shakes his head and Gibbs just growls at him.

"So who taught you this math. Bullets have to many variables wind, rain the list is endless." Ziva reminds him.

"You forgot that I went to the military academy. Senior year, our math teacher was a sniper. He taught us, I've used his formula more than once. I didn't have access to Abby and her computers when I was a detective."

Gibbs accepts the answer without question he has never known his SFA to lie about a skill needed for the job.

"McGee work out the math on the simulator thingy like Abby does."

"Working on it Boss, Tony is right, these numbers are wrong somebody made a mistake."

"Or lied McGee. It's been known to happen."

"Lie on a report? That's perjury."

"I know what it is Tim, but it happens. Lose evidence, no evidence, you know it's the right perp but you have nothing to nail him on. Then there are the times that you are covering up your ass, to protect yourself or someone else. You have to know how to do it, and do it right. Our instructor showed us to do it work the numbers to work in our favor, too."

"You've done this? Change reports?" Ziva asks.

"I will neither confirm nor deny that I have changed any reports here or anywhere else that make the story that was told, fit the evidence that was gathered. Be it outside, or inside a building. All I said was that I know how to do in order to protect someone's ass. If needed." Tony answers then reaches for another cold case.

She walks down the stars into Gibbs basement and watches him for a few minutes.

"Gibbs, do you think he knows?"

"He knows, he has always known. I checked my report my numbers have been changed just enough to make it fit, not perfectly like I had them, I made a mistake, he fix it. Always covering my six, and yours too, this time."


	3. Kate and trust

_Thank you to Flying Piglet for feeding the muse. Don't know if I like this one, but you all can be the judge._

Kate looked and him and shook her head in disgust, he was fooling around again talking on the phone instead of working.

"I'll be right back." Tony tells her after he puts his desk phone back..

"We're suppose to be working Tony. What if Gibbs comes back."

"Tell him the truth I went down to security to pick something up." He says with a smile, a smile that makes her all the more huffy as she returns to her work.

"Where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs asks as he walks by Kate's desk.

"He said that he would be right back he had to go down to the security." She answers.

"You getting anywhere on that lead?"

"Not yet Gibbs I'm waiting for a return call."

"Well move on to the next lead."

Nodding her head she knows that it is pointless in trying to argue with Gibbs so she turns her attention to her computer screen.

Tony goes straight to Gibbs desk smiling the whole way he places a plan white envelope on the desk without a word he returns to his own desk and gets right to work.

"What's with the grin DiNozzo you look like cat that just ate the canary and didn't get caught."

"I just pulled a few strings that's all, for self preservation if you must know."

"What did you do now? That has Gibbs so angry at us." She asks him with a smirk.

"I didn't do anything. Flanna did, I just fixed it."

She stands and goes to his desk. "Who is Flanna some bimbo that you introduces Gibbs to?" Kate asks in a mocking voice.

"No actually Kate, Flanna is Gibbs' mysterious red headed friend. By the way that's what Flanna means in case you are wondering, red headed."

"You said you didn't know her."

"I don't, I know of her, Kate. And every time she gets a speeding ticket Gibbs gets pissed at the LEO's. This time I got it taken care of, now I owe a favor to a LEO."

"Why would you want to owe a favor to a LEO."

"Good working relationships with the locals have helped solve more cases than not. That's why Kate."

"So does that mean that you'll fix my speeding tickets too?" She asks with a coy smile.

"No, only Gibbs he's my partner."

"But, I'm your partner too." She challenges

"No, you're my teammate, not a partner. I trust my life to Gibbs, maybe in time I'll have the same trust for you, but not yet."

He can see the confusion in her face, so he exhales slowly. "When Gibbs offered me this job, I had just found our that my partner was dirty. I was not in a forgiving mood, so I did a little research and found out everything I could about him. It was then only then that I knew I could trust him with my life."

"How could a mere detective do that kid of a background check?"

"Believe it or not, I'm very good at what I do, before I came here my solve percentage was in the nineties as well and it was just a two man team."

'So how long before you have the same kind of trust for me?"

"I trust you Kate, I do, as does Gibbs. But sometimes your actions leave me with more questions than answers. As for when I don't know. Trust is earned and right now you're still earning it."

She turns and looks at Gibbs ."Gibbs?" She asks.

"He's right Kate. You're to trusting at times, you need to be a little more cynical."

She looks at her boss then at Tony, not understanding completely what they mean. She is good at what she does, she knows she is. She has taken the profiler course, she might not be as good as the agents as the BAU but then again who is? Those agents get into the unsubs minds. What she does is good enough for the NCIS team, basic behavior about how the criminal they are looking for. She does admit that sometimes she misses things, but not often.

"I need the ladies room." she says softly then leaves.

"Boss." Tony starts to say.

"How long have you known?"

"About Flanna? Or about the boat and how you get it out?"

Gibbs doesn't reply at all he just glares at Tony.

He looks at Gibbs his smile gone. Standing he goes to him and hands him a finished report. "I'm not sorry, she needed to hear it. One day her indecisiveness is going to get someone hurt or worse. I just hope that we aren't around to see it."

"I know Tony we'll work with her. She just needs time and good teachers."


	4. Weapons and a candle

Just a short one.

He went looking for him not long after everyone had left for the night. He knew that he was still in the building as his suit jacket was still hanging on the back of his desk chair.

It only took ten minutes to find him. He stood still and quietly watched as his SFA, methodically cleaned the back up weapons that the team used from time to time. On the large bench he saw Tony's own weapons stripped down waiting their turn to be cleaned as well.

"You do realize that the techs in here clean and maintain all of the weapons." He says breaking the silence.

"I do, but none of them do it to your specifications. I do it, so you don't growl."

Gibbs sits opposite from him grabbing the needed cleaning equipment from the open tray he starts to clean Tony's ankle weapon. A smaller weapon than his usual Sig, but still a good choice for a back up. "Is that a fact DiNozzo?"

Tony looks at his boss and says nothing about it. It is the ultimate trust that he is showing, by letting his boss clean his weapon. "Yeah."

"They don't get it clean enough."

"I know, but I do. Don't forget that barrel has a tiny burr in it."

"I've been cleaning weapons since you were in high school Tony, I know why I'm doing. Why don't you get this thing fixed anyway?"

"Not worth the hassle for one and any bullets that come out of that little shooter will be marked no way to it hide or confuse it with another gun barrel."

Gibbs silently agrees with him. He looks at Tony and takes a deep breath as he gathers his thoughts. Not one for talking, he is known as a man of few words.

"Tony about earlier, you said that you did a background check before you said yes to me."

"I did."

"How thorough was it?"

"I know where you went to High School. I know about your mom and about your dad's store."

"Do you know about?" Gibbs starts to say softly.

Tony stands with rifle and looks at Gibbs. "Some things a man should be able to keep to himself. Some things are no one else's business."

"Tony."

"I did light a candle for them when I found out, it just felt right some how." Tony tells him softly before he leaves to put he rifle back in the cage with the rest of the NCIS weapons.

Tony stays away long enough to give Gibbs a chance to regain his composure. "If you're done cleaning my weapons. Let's go eat I'm starved I feel like breakfast, steak, eggs and hotcakes. I'll even eat a bowl of fruit just to make Ducky happy."

"You're going to have to run an extra mile tomorrow if you eat that, you know." Gibbs tells him with a laugh.

"So, I'll pick you up at six and we can run together before we have be back here. That is after we go to your favorite place for breakfast, I swear that waitress saves the best coffee rolls for you."

Gibbs stands and hands both of the now cleaned weapons back to him. It is a small gesture but he knows that his secret is safe with Tony. He should have known that Tony would have found out, after all it was one of the reasons he hired him in the first place.


	5. Jared

_I don't know how I feel about this one, but here goes anyway._

Gibbs looked up when he heard Vance come into the bullpen. He was surprised to see the Director in the office on a Saturday. The man usually stayed home with his children unless there was something pressing.

"Have you see Jared?"

"No Leon I haven't." Gibbs says then stands. "I'll help you look. Have you tried the head?"

"Yes, on both floors."

"Maybe the gym. Some of the agents were going to play a pickup game, he might have gone to watch it."

"He would have left me a note taped to the office door. I told him to stay close and not to make a nuisance of himself."

"He is a good kid Leon. I'm sure he is fine. Does he have a cell, we can text him."

"No cell, not yet not until he gets into high school."

They search for fifteen minutes before they hear his voice coming from the break room. The two men were about to enter when Gibbs stops him. "Listen." Gibbs whispers.

"It's okay to cry you know." Tony tells him softly.

"Really?"

"Yes. My mother died when I was a lot younger than you, I was eight."

"Was she murdered too?" Jared asks then blows his nose.

"No, she was very ill."

"I miss her so much."

"I understand, I really do, so does your dad."

"But he."

"He never shows it?"

Yeah." Jared answers softly.

"Some men, not all mind you grieve in private. You lost your mom, he lost his other half. The part of him that kept the joy and happiness in his life. The part that reminded him why he has the job that he does and why continues to work so hard."

"Tomorrow is mother's day I want to go put flowers on her grave. I don't think he'll want to."

"You might be surprised I bet he already has the flowers on order, something that she loved. Maybe even a reservation to someplace special to eat. Something that you used to do as a family the four of you."

"We always had a picnic on Mother's day, it was fun. You know just talking and listening to them talk about what they did for their mothers and grandmothers."

"Sounds like a lot of fun."

"It was." Jared murmured. "Agent DiNozzo, will the pain ever go away?"

"I'll be honest with you Jared, It does fade so it is not so raw and painful. One day you'll smell something or hear a piece of music or even taste something that will remind you of her. And you'll smile because you'll remember all the happy times that you had with her. So yes I suppose it does go away."

"Do you still remember your mom, like that?"

"Yes I do, lilacs is what reminds me of her." Tony answers, then he continues. "Jared talk to your dad, he loves you and that's what dads are for, they support you, take care of you, listen to you and most importantly they are always there for you no questions asked."

Jared stands and tossed the orange peel in the trash. "Thanks for the orange. Last time I was here all the machines had was junk food."

"That would be Ducky, Dr. Mallard, talking to the vending machine company. Once Ducky starts to talk to you about eating good healthy food, it just easier to go with the flow, I like the apples best though. But you have to keep my secret Jared if Ducky knew that I actually listened to him, he would make me stop eating donuts and I love donuts. It must be the cop in me."

Hearing his Jared laughs for the first time, a happy joyful laugh. Vance can't help but smile as he enters the break room.

"Dad." Jared says.

"Director, your son looked hungry, I bought him a orange." Tony says talking over Jared.

"Thanks for feeding him, he has become a bottomless pit of sorts. He is always hungry."

"Dad." Jared groans slightly.

"No sweat Jared we all went through it. Boys eat a lot of food and when you play sports it's even worse."

"I play basketball. I want to go to camp this summer."

"DiNozzo take Jared out to his father's car I need to talk to shop for a couple of minutes."

"On it Boss. Come on Jared."

They wait until they hear the elevator door close before they talk. Gibbs puts some money in the machine and pulls out an apple. he looks a the fruit then hands it to Vance.

"I saw you flinch when DiNozzo said lilacs, why?" Vance asks.

"His mother committed suicide, she was an alcoholic. Tony found her hanging she had kicked over a large vase full of lilacs. The room reeked of them, every time Tony smells them he gets sick to his stomach."

"I didn't know, and his father? I know he is a. . ."

"He is a bastard Leon, he drove his wife to drink and finally to suicide, and he beat his son. Tony did it all on his own from the time he was twelve he only had himself to rely on. Think of it this way, The man is still protecting the child that never was allowed to be a child."

"What he did for Jared."

"Just tell him thank you."

"So tomorrow, are you both going to be sending flowers or are you going yourselves?"

"Tomorrow DiNozzo and I will be covering for those agents that have plans to spend the day with their mothers."

"I'll see you of Monday Gibbs." Vance replies knowing that there is nothing else to say.

"Don't forget to order those flowers Director, you can always call McGee if you are having trouble placing the order, this late."

"I'll keep that in mind." Vance tells him.

Catching a case on Monday morning kept the team busy until Wednesday late afternoon. Tony walks down the stairs then sits on the third from the bottom. He watches Gibbs sand for a few minutes. "So how much trouble am I in with the Director?"

"None. You helped his son."

He looks over and sees Tony exhale slowly. "You knew we were listening, didn't you?"

"Not at first. As for helping Jared it wasn't a big deal."

"If you say so."

Tony stands then turns to leave. "I talked to the landscaping crew at the Navy yard, an order came down to remove all lilac bushes from the new landscaping design to replace them with rhododendron. Tell him thanks will you?"

"I can do that for you Tony."

He gets half way up the stairs before Gibbs call him. "DiNozzo, did you eat yet?"


	6. Kayla

_One for Jared it's only fair that there is one for Kayla. For the sake of this fic-let she is fifteen_

"Kayla, answer the door please. Let agent DiNozzo in." Vance calls out to her.

Her response is a huff, in a very angry teenager way.

"Ah the lovely Miss Vance, how are you today Kayla?" Tony asks as he takes off his sunglasses.

"Just peachy." She answers her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Okay, what's wrong? My friend Kayla is not a grumpy person?"

"My father won't let me go to the dance, he says he can't take the time off. Tony I'm a big girl I can take care of myself. I think I should be able to go unguarded." She gripes to him.

He smiles and nods his head and before she can blink an eye he has grabbed her, one arm around her waist and the other around her mouth. He doesn't hold her too tight just enough to put the fear of G-d into her. He talks in a normal voice as he leans into her ear making sure she can feel his hot breath on her skin.

"So you think you can take care of yourself, do you? " He lets her go and takes a step back from her.

"That's not fair!" she shouts.

"Actually, it is fair, and I'm a friend or at least I hope I'm your friend. Sit down I'm going to talk and you're going to listen."

He waits until she is seated I on the couch looking up at him giving him a death glare.

"You know before I was an agent I was a beat cop, then a detective. I had more cases than I want to remember of girls your age who thought they could 'take of them self'. Having to tell a parent that their child is missing, or worse, they're dead is not something you ever want to experience. Trust me on this one."

"Who is going to take me? It's just a school dance!"

"You're a target because of your dad; he is the Director of a federal agency. Some nut job will think that if they can grab you they might be able to force to him meet their demands."

"I never thought about it that way, but I still don't like it. I really wanted to go to the dance." she says pouting.

"What's his name?" Tony asks knowing that the look on her face has to do with more than just a dance.

When she lowers her head he can't help but smile. "Marcus, he is really nice."

"I'm sure he is, the school you go to is private and a lot of bigwigs' kids go there too. Right? I imagine there will be lots of security?"

"Some, not a lot."

"Uh ah, when is this dance?"

"Two weeks." She answers as she pouts.

"Okay here's the best I can do for you. And this is all cognizant on you clearing it with your dad. This coming Saturday and Sunday you come down to the NCIS gym and I'll teach you basic self-defense. Enough so that you can get away if you have too. Ziva would just teach you to kill, and right now I need you to be able to strike then run." She smiles liking what she is hearing. "You are going to learn a set of rules, in fact you're going to memorize a set a rules"

"What rules?" She challenges.

"Rule one you never leave the dance. Even to go to the head without telling me. That includes the hallway, the patio, nowhere."

"Telling you?" she asks all confused.

"Yup, you can call me your friendly bodyguard for the night." He gives her a hard look and continues. "Rule two when you get a drink it never leaves your hand until your finished drinking it. If you put it down and turn away even for a second, you're to not pick it up and drink it."

"That it?" she asks as she folds her hands across her chest.

"Yes failure to follow these rules will result immediate action on my part."

"What are you going to do drag me from the dance?" She asks defiantly.

"No. I'll just toss you over my shoulder fireman style and then bring you back home."

"You wouldn't, my friends... I'd be so embarrassed!"

"Hey, Kayla I don't give rat's ass about your friends, I care about you and your brother. Your dad has lost enough in his life, he is not about to lose his daughter while on my watch. The least I can do is to keep you safe at a dance."

"You're going to board standing there watching a bunch of teenagers dance." She informs him

"More than likely, but I'll be able to meet and greet other guards and security from different agencies. Catch up on the scuttlebutt and goings on. Think of it as good Intel gathering."

"So what do you get out of it? I mean you're giving up a night to guard me."

"Nothing really, I do this for you and your dad, you can go and he doesn't have to worry, and the next day you help me wash and vacuum my car. Talk to your dad Kayla, oh and one more thing I thing, I'm going to teach you how to be more aware of your surrounds as well. It's a good skill to have, isn't that right Director?" Tony asks watching Vance come out of the hallway.

Kayla turns and looks at her father surprised that he was able to come into the room without her knowing.

"Agent DiNozzo you'll need a tux for the dance."

"Yes sir."

"And you." He says as he looks at his daughter, her smile reminds him so much of his late wife. "You will do everything that Agent DiNozzo tells you."

"Yes Daddy, Thank you!" she says then throws herself into his arms.

Tony chuckles and turns away, wanting to give Vance and his daughter some privacy.


	7. Closing ranks

For, Victoriantealady because she fed my muse.

The two men look down from the large balcony as they observe the agents from the various agencies. A frown appears on director Vance's face when he sees DiNozzo laughing and carrying on like he had not a care in the world.

It was a high security meeting with the directors from the alphabets as well as their counterparts from Canada and Great Britain. It was Gibbs that suggested DiNozzo go, as well as McGee and Balboa.

Tom Morrow, the deputy of homeland security noticed the frown, and the loud sigh that Vance made when they saw Tony interacting with some of the other agents.

"Tell me Leon, are you still buying into the DiNozzo frat boy act?"

Leon turns and glares at Tom. "He is just like Gibbs, yes they get results but, they don't move forward, stuck in some time warp."

"Don't let him fool you Leon; more people have bought into his idiot mask, that are paying the price in prison. The man knows what he is doing, I would love to pinch him away from you. I've offered him his own team and raise. He says his happy where he is. I think you should know something about your famous frat boy. He did you a favor and it cost him all of his markers almost twenty years of favors that were owed him."

Intrigued Leon shifts his position and gives his full attention to Tom. "It was right after Jackie was killed." Tom doesn't waste any platitudes, men like Vance don't want them nor do they need them.

"What did he do?" Leon asks his full of barely contained anger.

"He let it be known in the press corps circles that if they didn't leave you and your children alone while you were grieving. He would make sure that not one police station or agency would be forthcoming with any information, at all. Up to and including parking tickets and protective custody numbers for being drunk and disorderly."

"He doesn't have that kind of pull." Vance scoffs.

"Tell me just how many articles did you read about your wife? Eli David yes, he was Mossad, but Jackie?"

"After the initial report two more then nothing about her, I was surprised there wasn't more."

"He called in all of his markers with his brothers in blue. No one talked to any reporter for a week, no one except for the BAU teams, he told me that was for Agent Todd."

"Why would he go to all of the trouble? I don't understand." Leon says softly.

"Do you know his mother is dead? She died when he was eight, according to the M.E. report it was ruled a suicide." Tom tells him letting the insinuation linger in the air.

"What do you mean ruled a suicide?"

"He comes from money, and families with that kind of money, they let the money talk for them. Or so I've been able to ascertain. The press hounded the family for weeks Tony was just a kid at the time, his father did nothing to protect him. He was free of his wife and he had more money to play with, surely you know that the man is a conman. He will steal you blind if you give him half a chance. He is always on the look out for his next big score."

"Why does DiNozzo work if he doesn't need the money?"

"Tony's mother left him small trust fund, not enough to live on. And if his father knew about it he would hound Tony until he got every last penny from it."

"He told you?"

"Full disclosure, the very first day he got hired, even before FLETCE."

"Why would he do that?"

"He learned from an early age that money talks and he didn't want to be accused of anything."

Vance looks at DiNozzo again, as if seeing him for the first time. Smiling and joking with the men, and flirting shamelessly with the women. Everyone knew he was a flirt, but no one took it seriously. Vance didn't know what he did to earn such sacrifice from an Agent, but silently swore to himself, and Jackie, that he wouldn't doubt the man again.


	8. Vance asks why

_Sorry so long for this one I've been ill with the plague. Well in this case stomach bug and a chest cold. Having COPD and a chest cold is so much fun let me tell you. This chapter is the last of this arc. _

He stepped out into late afternoon sun he didn't even have to wait for his car to be called for it pulled up just as his foot stepped off of the last step. He watches DiNozzo step up to him then follow him to the car. When they get to the car his driver is standing by the door ready to open it for him.

"Adam go with agents McGee and Balboa, I need to discuss a few things with agent DiNozzo."

"Yes sir." Is the only reply the driver can give. He knows not to argue when the director as a certain tone of voice.

Vance opens the door and slips into the front seat without giving Tony a second glance. Knowing what is expected of him Tony signals to McGee and Balboa to follow with the other car.

He slips on his glasses once he is behind the wheel. "Director?"

"The office."

"Yes sir."

They had driven for less than ten minutes before Vance broke the silence. "Why?" He asks.

"I didn't understand Director Vance."

" Tom Morrow and I had informative conversation. Why did you do it, talk to the press?"

"Ah I see Deputy Director Morrow has new Intel. I wonder who squealed."

"Agent DiNozzo I find that term offensive, don't you?"

"No I don't in all honesty. I was a cop for six years, I've earned the right to say it."

Vance can't argue with him on that score he had earned that right.

"I didn't do it for you Director Vance if that's what you're wondering. You are a big boy you can take all that the press toss at you. In fact it's part of your job, but your kids, they didn't sign up for it not one little bit."

"He told me about your mother, about the M.E. ruling." Vance tells him.

Tony chuckles a sad sort of chuckle. "I swear that man has more friends than the peanut man at the circus." He lets out a long sigh. "It was never proven otherwise at least not by the powers that be at the time. There was just a lot and I mean a lot of talk, gossip filled the papers and news reports along with pictures of a man standing next to a small boy with tears running down his cheeks. What the papers didn't report or show was that after the man and child, were no longer within camera range the child was backhanded then sent to their room for being a disgrace. The funny part was the man would make sure to pinch the boy hard really hard just before the reporters came running to get the needed pictures and interviews. There were always cameras in the face of the child the reports tried to get information all the time. The child was an innocent bystander and should have never been put anywhere near the press at all. And before you ask, I never did investigate or look at the M.E. or police reports. It wouldn't change anything my mother would still be dead, besides almost all of the people involved are either retired or will be retired soon. Your children are innocent they have the misfortune of having a father who is the Director of a Federal agency. So I made a few calls, no one bothered the kids and that's what mattered and still matters."

After hearing Tony give his reasons why, Vance looks at his agent. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Surprisingly is the simply reply that he gets in return.

"Just one question? Does Gibbs know? I mean he knows you found her and about your reaction to lilacs, but does he know about the M.E. report?"

"What if I told you I made a phone call to an old friend? Someone who could make that report get permanently lost, after Gibbs found out why I hated lilacs so much."

"That would explain why he is a free man and why your father is still breathing."

"That and the paperwork would be never ending." Tony says trying to bring some levity into the conversation.

A/N: I'm so sorry that I didn't respond to everyone who reviewed. But thank you all very much. And thank you to all the lovely people that added me to their alerts and favorites.


	9. Turn around is fair play

_The muse paid a visit.  
_

Gibbs rubs his knee and glares at McGee and the TAD agent that was hoisted on him to fill in the gap as DiNozzo was in court.

He absolutely hated being out in the field without DiNozzo the man had a way of knowing what he was thinking and where he was going to go even before he know himself. He had to admit it was creepy at times but he liked having some one that always had his six. It didn't mean that McGee and the fill in agent weren't good, because they were, they just weren't his partner.

"Boss do you want me to go get Ducky?" McGee asks with fear seeping through his words.

Gibbs glares at him so intensely that McGee goes back to his desk and starts to write up his report as to what happened out in the field. Tony was going to kill him is the only thing that keep going through his mind as he is typing.

Just after one in the afternoon Tony comes walking into the bullpen with what could only be described a joyful mood. He stops right in front of Gibbs desk and hands him two large cups of coffee. Then he opens the paper bag that he is holding and pulls out a bottle of over the counter pain reliever. He places it on the desk without a word, he then digs in the bag and pulls out a some sort of bundle of Velcro and with a blue rectangular thing in the middle.

"I jerry-rigged the ice pack with Velcro put it on, open the desk drawer and elevate your leg. Take pain the medicine, and drink your coffee when you need the head ask Tim or me to help you keep weight off your knee. Or else."

Gibbs picks up his coffee and take a long drink. "Or else what DiNozzo?" He asks with a glare.

"I tell Ducky, then I'll help our dear medical examiner drug you with the good stuff, bring you home and once you are settled in your bed, not on your couch mind you. I'll ask Ducky to tell me the story of how he saved your butt with a boat and pushing some one in the water. All the while I'll be sitting right there watching making sure you follow his orders. After all he is our doctor, isn't he?"

"You wouldn't."

"Try me. YOU don't chase after suspects that's what the TAD is for that's what McGee is for, you lead we follow, you give orders, we obey. For the most part that is."

Gibbs takes another drink of his coffee then puts the cup down. "Get to work DiNozzo."

"Yes Boss." Tony replies then goes to his desk.

"Tony." McGee says softly.

"You know better McGee, when I'm not here it's your job to have his six. Don't work harder Tim, work smarter. Anticipate and be ready to act quickly Tim."

"I'll do better."

"Good, now lets figure out where this scumbag is so we can go get him."

"How did you know?" McGee asks.

"I read the file while I was in court this morning Tim, he was a track star all state in college."

"That wasn't in the file. I would have remembered if it was."

"No it wasn't, all the file said was that he had an athletic scholarship for college. I checked the college records when the Judge let me go. And Gibbs being Gibbs with you and a TAD there was only one outcome."

"I feel like an idiot." Tim murmurs.

"Work smarter, not harder." Tony says then reaches for his desk phone.


	10. Orange juice

He watched his friend stumble for the second time before he moved toward him. Mumbling something to Gibbs he walked quickly away making sure he grabbed his backpack as he went.

He caught up to Jimmy and grabbed hold on his elbow then led his friend to the back of the M.E.'s van. Tony opened the door then sat Jimmy down gently.

He looks into his friends eyes and sees a glassy eyed vacant look, looking back at him.

"Damn Palmer we talked about this." Tony reaches into his backpack and pulls out a can of orange juice. After opening the can he hold it up to Jimmy's mouth and helps him take small sips until his friend can hold the can for himself.

"Slowly Palmer." Tony tells him as he reaches into his bag for a blood sugar monitor and sits it down next to Jimmy. "Finish the juice. I'll send Ducky up to you."

Tony leaves his backpack in the van with Jimmy then gets the body bag and the gurney.

Gibbs looks up from the body in time to see Tony pushing the gurney toward them, "DiNozzo. Why are you doing Palmer's work?"

Tony just smiles then opens the body bag. "Ducky, Jimmy could use your help, he's a little under the weather. I can put the victim in the bag, I'll be careful."

Ducky wastes no time in getting to his protégé, wondering what in heaven's name could be wrong.

Gibbs watches as Tony puts on fresh gloves then as looks through the M.E.'s kit pulling out paper bags and a roll of tape. Tony covers the hands of the deceased, tapes the bags securely then writes his name so that it covers both the tape and the bag. He then lays down a tarp to transfer the body on trying not to disturb any evidence that might still be on the body.

Gibbs slips on a pair of fresh gloves and helps Tony move the body to the tarp then to the body bag. Once the body has been strapped onto the gurney Gibbs grabs the M.E. 's kit while Tony pushes the Gurney back to the M.E.'s van.

"Is he alright Duck?"

"He will be Jethro, luckily Anthony caught it in time. The orange juice he gave him did the trick."

" Boss if you're ready to go McGee and Bishop took the van back."

Gibbs peals out before Ducky is even behind the wheel of his van.

"Well?" Gibbs says as he watches Tony look out of the window holding on for dear life on the oh crap handle.

"I have this friend we went to Ohio State together, he has diabetes and sometimes when the workload got overwhelming he would forget to eat the right things and take his insulin. I was his roommate it was easy to learn what to look out for, to do what had to be done."

"And Palmer?"

"The Autopsy Gremlin is having finals and his beautiful wife has a baby-making mindset. He is doing double duty."

"Duck said you gave him orange juice."

"I like to drink orange juice, I always have a can in my bag." Tony responds with a brilliant smile.

"Right, make sure that McGee and Bishop each carry a can of it too. I'm sure they like to drink it."


	11. Ellie

He follows her back in to the bullpen as she walks slowly. He knew that she was stunned maybe even in shock. With Gibbs in a meeting with Fornell he wasn't going to take any chances with her well being.

"Bishop sit, just sit. I'll be right back."

He takes the stairs two at a time and goes directly to Deloris in HR.

Knocking once he opens the steps in and not bothering to even smile he gets right to the point. Talking to Deloris and the woman next to her.

"I need your help. More specifically Bishop needs your help."

"What do you need agent DiNozzo." Deloris asks thinking that this is a joke of some kind.

"We just got back it was a very bloody crime scene the female victim was horribly beaten. She died at the scene in fact she died while Bishop was talking to her, holding her hand in fact. Ellie I believe is in shock. Talk her to the ladies, I don't know loosen her bra, change her shirt the one that she is wearing has blood on it, we'll need it for evidence. Help her wash her face and hands. Please ladies, Ziva was Mossad tough as nails, but Ellie not yet she is still learning."

"I have some body spray. Would that help?" one of the office workers says holding up a bottle.

"As long as it's not a food smell. Ellie makes memories associations with food it's how her brain works."

"It's lavender."

"Perfect thank you."

"What about clothes does she have any?" Deloris asks as she starts to stand.

"I don't know, I have a tee shirt in my filing cabinet, you can use." Seeing the look on the faces of Deloris and her friends. "Well it's clean, soft, dry, and warm."

He feels like the Pied Piper as he walks back into the bullpen leading four women into the bullpen.

He goes straight to his filing cabinet and gets the tee shirt after handing it to Deloris. He steps in front of Bishop and gets her attention

"Bishop, look at me." he waits for her to move her head slightly. "Go with Deloris and her cohorts. They are going to help you get cleaned up and then if you want go have a cup of tea."

She just nods her head and follows Deloris. McGee reaches into his backpack and hands the last lady an evidence bag so she can put the bloody shirt in.

"Seal and sign it. Bring it to me right after so I can sign it and log it into evidence. Please." McGee tells the lady.

"Do I need gloves?" she asks nervously.

Tony smiles softly at the older woman. 'No. You hold the bag open and tell Ellie to put the shirt in. All you have to do is seal the bag and sign it. But bring it right back out to us in fact Tim and I will be waiting right outside of the ladies room door.

Twenty minutes later Gibbs comes into the bullpen scowling and holding two cup of extra large coffee.

"I take it the meeting with Fornell didn't go well." Tony asks.

Gibbs glares instead of answering. "Where's Bishop and give me a sitrep on the case."

"She is with Deloris and the ladies from HR, they went for tea break. They should be back soon."

"Abby has all of the evidence and we have a BOLO out for the boyfriend. Petty officer told us he was the one who beat her before she died." Tim reports.

"I'm going to check with Abby. Starts your reports." He growls before leaving.

Tim waits until he is sure Gibbs is out of hearing range before he says anything. "Why didn't you tell him the rest?"

"I'll tell him later, right now. Protecting Bishop and helping her is more important. She'll learn and in time she'll get better. In the mean time I'll take the heat and I'll run interference like I did for you when you first started. Remember Probie?" Tony asks with a smile.

"I remember." Tim answers him softly.


End file.
